Blog
Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Blog
Town Hall Tuesdays 2020: What we heard from Arise supporters
Listening is often an underdeveloped skill, yet it is critical for mutual understanding and working together for meaningful change. That’s why Arise is committed to listening to our members, to our allies and most importantly, to those directly affected by the work we do together. We depend on what we hear from you to guide [...]
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P-EBT, rapid school actions keep Alabama children fed
Six months ago, COVID-19 forced school officials to reinvent public education on the fly. For more than 400,000 Alabama students, the stakes were more than academic. School closures also threatened their daily nutrition. Schools’ responses were encouraging and fast. Last spring, Alabama quickly adopted federal options to serve multiple meals at once and offer them [...]
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Join Alabama Arise and participate in our virtual annual meeting!
Alabama Arise members will gather Oct. 3, 2020, for our annual meeting. And we’re making this year’s event more accessible than ever! Instead of traveling to Montgomery, our members will attend a virtual meeting and cast their votes online. We’ll share more details about registration and voting in the coming weeks. But first things first: [...]
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Help us raise Alabama’s Census participation!
Arise has partnered with the Hard to Count Collaborative to ensure every Alabamian is counted in the 2020 Census. The collaborative is conducting a texting campaign to reach folks in Alabama who may have trouble hearing about the Census. And they need help from volunteers like you! Now that the Census Bureau has moved up [...]
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Alabama should ensure all eligible residents receive federal stimulus payments
Alabama and the nation are facing an economic crisis like nothing we’ve ever seen. More than 13% of Alabama households don’t have enough money to feed their families, the Census Bureau reports. Nearly half of Alabama’s renters may face eviction in the near future. Meanwhile, an estimated 267,000 eligible Alabamians have not received their federal [...]
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Working in Alabama during the COVID-19 pandemic: Who faces the danger?
Many Alabamians have modified their work circumstances in recent months to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19. But tens of thousands of people still must work in public-facing jobs that put them at increased risk of illness. Front-line workers in grocery stores, hospitals and pharmacies perform necessary tasks to keep our communities functioning during the [...]
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Alabama Arise needs your voice now more than ever!
You can have a bigger impact when you unite your voice with thousands of other Alabamians who want to make our state a better place. Please become an Alabama Arise member today. We’re working to improve state policies and remove barriers to opportunity for Alabamians with low incomes. Here are just a few of the [...]
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As education revenues fall, it’s time to strengthen Alabama’s tax system
It’s a truism often heard during budget hearings at the Alabama State House: “All the growth taxes go to education.” Legislators commonly say this to bemoan relatively flat revenue for the General Fund (GF), even when the economy is booming. Meanwhile, the Education Trust Fund (ETF) budget grows by comparative leaps and bounds. There is [...]
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Risk of education, General Fund cuts remains after shortened Alabama legislative session
Funding for education, health care and other vital services is deeply uncertain as Alabama’s revenues plummet during the COVID-19 recession. In May, lawmakers enacted 2021 Education Trust Fund (ETF) and General Fund (GF) budgets that are larger than this year’s. But as consumer spending falls and massive unemployment persists, the Legislature will reevaluate those plans [...]
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You’re invited to Arise’s Town Hall Tuesdays!
Arise’s statewide online summer listening sessions are a chance to hear what’s happening on key state policy issues and share your vision for our 2021 policy agenda. Register now to help identify emerging issues and inform our work to build a better Alabama. We'd love to see you at any or all of these sessions! [...]